“Yosemite Park is a place of rest, a refuge from the roar and dust and weary, nervous, wasting work of the lowlands, in which one gains the advantages of both solitude and society. Nowhere will you find more company of a soothing peace-be-still kind.” -John Muir

​Double-check the 140-character lives of those you follow on Twitter. Collect companions to enjoy your lunch with. Ask for yet another WiFi password to keep your life connected. Today’s society seems to revolve around a social-culture: a lifestyle that promotes, and almost necessitates, constant human-to-human interactions. And with technology so seamlessly blending our virtual lives with our physical ones, there are rarely moments in which we are truly alone.For many people, this may not seem problematic. The concept of being alone is often negatively associated, as though the simple act of being solitary is synonymous with being sad. Even a simple google image search for the word “alone” unearths a collection of gloomy, silhouetted figures bent in anguish. As a society, we have become accustomed to the idea of constant human contact, taking only rare moments to remove ourselves from the fray.

With all this overwhelming sociability it can be difficult to find a time - let alone a place- where we can enjoy moments of the personal reflection that solitude allows. Although often seen as the practice of devout buddhist monks, seeking solitude is one of the best ways to form an intimacy with your personal state-of-being. Prior to attending college I never really appreciated the quantity of time I spent by myself. People in school have always characterized me as overtly friendly. I distinctly remember my freshman-year roommate looking at me with disdain when she said, “Oh… you’re an extrovert aren’t you?” I suppose my tendency to interact well with and enjoy the company of strangers defined me as some sort of sociable person. It wasn’t until I started taking weekend trips to the local state park that I realized how wrong she was. Having the opportunity to remove myself from the social environment we often feel pressured to be a part of, I realized how rejuvenated I felt after having spent a couple hours in the woods by myself. For someone who has always sought relaxation in the outdoors, I’m surprised it took me so long to realize it was the solitude I enjoyed.

Nature is particularly interesting in that it provides a place for personal reflection that does not require you to be traditionally “alone”. The U.S. National Parks service was established with the sole purpose of “... [conserving] the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” When you seek solitude in a National Park you are encouraged to bring those that are close to you, to share in the beauty that the natural world has to offer. The real solitude comes in the quiet moments of awe at the sheer expanse of untouched land, peaceful star-gazing in a sky with no light pollution, and the simplicity of living that is required in the wilderness. In the outdoors you can be surrounded by life, people and animals and an environment that continues to challenge you. There are no outside distractions, no social obligations to keep up with, no messages to read or write; the only life you have to live is the one around you.